West Kent needs French books for September, s'il vous plat

West Kent Elementary is getting ready to offer French immersion in the fall.

The Charlottetown school is becoming a dual-track school as part of rezoning changes being implemented by P.E.I.'s Department of Education.

That means about 175 French immersion students will be coming to West Kent in September.

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One of the biggest expenses will be supplying the school with books. The department says it has a three-year plan for stocking the new French classrooms and the school library.

Essentials for September

It will have the essentials for September, and then will invest in expanding the collection over the following two years.

But some parents are taking the initiative to ensure there is a good selection from the start.

Marina Silva-Opps, whose son will be rezoned from Spring Park to West Kent, is organizing a book drive with hopes of collecting at least 500 books.

"Kids usually bring three or four books home per week. And you have 170 kids," she said. "Just do the multiplication. That requires a lot of books."

Outwith old, in with new

Buffy Macdougall-Hambly, acting vice-principal of West Kent, said new bookshelves are being built, and staff are busy getting rid of old books and big encyclopedias they don't need anymore to make room for new French books.

"A library is never completely finished," she said.

New and used French books can be dropped off at West Kent and Spring Park Elementary until May 26.

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